Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes F1 Team Pays Emotional Tribute to Late Engineer

Saajan Jogia | 2 Hours Ago

Oct 18, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes during practice for the Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-Imagn Images / Erich Schlegel-Imagn Images

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team honored the late engineer David Perry with an emotional tribute following his passing after a battle with cancer. In recognition of his invaluable contributions, the team placed his name on Hamilton's W15 F1 car, just below the No. 44 on the nose at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

According to a report, Perry played a crucial role in car development at Mercedes as a composite laminator, working in one of the most essential positions at the Brackley headquarters. Although his role was primarily operational, success in Formula 1 depends on the collective effort and collaboration of all engineers and technicians, making contributions like his integral to the team’s achievements.

In a post on X, the Mercedes F1 team stated:

"Our much-loved colleague David Perry lost a brave battle with cancer earlier this month

"His courageous spirit leaves an indelible mark on us all - and we are proud to carry his name this weekend on the W15 he helped to create "

Our much-loved colleague David Perry lost a brave battle with cancer earlier this month

His courageous spirit leaves an indelible mark on us all - and we are proud to carry his name this weekend on the W15 he helped to create ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KuPLkX4Zs7

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 18, 2024

The heartwarming gesture comes at a time when the team is gearing up for the final six races of the 2024 season, starting with this weekend's race at the Circuit of the Americas. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff outlined three key objectives for the remainder of the season, which include laying the groundwork for the 2025 season, maximizing performance for the current campaign, and ensuring the best possible farewell for the seven-time world champion before his move to Ferrari next year. He told the media:

“This weekend marks the start of an intense run to the end of the year.

“We have six races over the next eight weeks, ending with the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

“Although we are not in contention for the championships, there is still plenty to fight for and the opportunity to create a few highlights along the way.

“We want to end this year as strongly as possible, build momentum for 2025, and bid farewell to Lewis in the best way possible.”

The race at COTA will also witness Mercedes' final upgrade package of the season for the W15, which would pave the way for the development of the 2025 car. Wolff added:

“We have been hard at work since Singapore analysing our performance and how we can improve.

“We bring our final update package of the season to Texas and our aim is to close the gap to the front. It will also provide useful information that will help guide our development direction for 2025.

“The Sprint format returns this weekend, and we will have to be at our best to introduce the update package effectively. The Circuit of the Americas is a fantastic track but one that caught us out last year.

“Its high-speed layout, combined with its bumpy surface, make it a challenge for both the car and driver. It is one we are looking forward to.”